I heard Emotive bought Bob Carvers tube company

Audiolabyrinth, bravo! Very well said, I couldn't agree more.

1) We shouldn't be dismissing gear just because it is built in China. There is some excellent gear being made in China these days. True, there is also some poor quality audio gear being made there too. All a matter of quality control and quality design.

2) According to Emotiva, the Carver tube gear will be built in TN.

Let's wait and see what the tube amps sound like and how they are priced before we start jumping to conclusions.

I wander if they will switch Carver over to a direct sells model like Emotiva?

My Chinese/Maryland USA Jolida tube amp cost around 1/8th the price of the closest Carver, performs beautifully, and is VERY well made...and since the Chinese manufacturing cat is "way out of the bag" at this point (who made the computers we're typing this stuff on?), we should support U.S. companies who keep track of the Chinese factory working standards (if at all possible). Mike Allen's (Jolida founder) story is an interesting example of exactly that.

Maybe Emotiva will cut out the Carver retailers and sell direct to the consumer. Now that would make a worthwhile takeover.